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Heinrich Petersen (SS officer)
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Petersen was a Standartenführer
(Colonel) in the Waffen-SS
during World War II
. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
; which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
during World War II.
in Denmark
.
He was a member of the NSDAP (party number 1.964.574) and an early volunteer for the SS-VT (SS number 134.299) joining in March 1933, serving with the III./46 SS-Standarte in Dresden
.
In April 1934 he was posted to the SS-Junkerschule in Bad Tölz
as an instructer with the rank of Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant) until August 1935, when he was transferred to the SS-Wachtruppe Brandenburg which was renamed in 1938 as the III. Battalion, 2nd SS-Totenkopfstandarte Brandenburg.
In November 1937 he was promoted to Sturmbannführer
(Major).
Infantry Regiment, 3rd SS Division Totenkopf until February 1941, during his time in command he was awarded the Iron Cross
2nd class in May 1940, the Iron Cross 1st class in June 1940 and the Infantry Assault Badge
in November 1940, which was awarded for having taken part in three or more motorized infantry assaults.
In February 1941 he was moved to command the I. Battalion, 6th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Theodor Eicke and promoted to Obersturmbannführer
(Lieutenant Colonel), he remained in command until January 1942.
Petersens next assignment was to command the Reserve Battalion of the Volunteer Norwegian Legion.
In March 1942, he was given command of the 3rd SS Totenkopf Infantry Regiment, 3rd SS Division Totenkopf, he remained in command until October 1942, when he was transferred to command the Training and Reserve Battalion, SS Gebirgsjäger Nord, 6th SS Gebirgs Division Nord.
In April 1943 Petersen was transferred again this time to the 7th SS Gebirgs Division Prinz Eugen to command the 13th SS Gebirgsjäger Regiment. It was while in command of the 13th SS Gebirgsjager Regiment that Petersen was awarded the Knight's Cross on the 13 November 1943 just after being promoted to Standartenführer
(Colonel) on the 9 November.
Petersen was next posted to work on the staff of the V SS Mountain Corps
from late 1943 to February 1944, when he was placed on the reserve officers list until June 1944.
He returned to active service on the 15 June 1944 as the new commander of the 39th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel.
He took over command of the 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel in March 1945.
Petersen committed suicide on the 9 May 1945, somewhere between Tábor
and Pilsen in Bohemia
.
Standartenführer
Standartenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in the so-called Nazi combat-organisations: SA, SS, NSKK and the NSFK...
(Colonel) in the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
; which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II.
Early life
Heinrich Petersen was born on the 31 March 1904 in Sonderburg on the island of AlsenAlsen
Alsen may refer to:Places:* Als Island, Denmark; called Alsen under Prussian/German administration * Alsen, North Dakota, United States* Alsen, South Dakota, United States...
in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
He was a member of the NSDAP (party number 1.964.574) and an early volunteer for the SS-VT (SS number 134.299) joining in March 1933, serving with the III./46 SS-Standarte in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
.
In April 1934 he was posted to the SS-Junkerschule in Bad Tölz
Bad Tölz
Bad Tölz is a town in Bavaria, Germany, and administrative center of the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen.- History :Since the retreat of the glaciers at the end of the Ice Age, archaeology has shown continuous occupation of the site of Bad Tölz...
as an instructer with the rank of Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
(Second Lieutenant) until August 1935, when he was transferred to the SS-Wachtruppe Brandenburg which was renamed in 1938 as the III. Battalion, 2nd SS-Totenkopfstandarte Brandenburg.
In November 1937 he was promoted to Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
(Major).
World War II
In October 1939 Petersen was given command of the II. Battalion, 3rd SS TotenkopfTotenkopf
The Totenkopf is the German word for the death's head and an old symbol for death or the dead. It consists usually of the skull and the mandible of the human skeleton...
Infantry Regiment, 3rd SS Division Totenkopf until February 1941, during his time in command he was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
2nd class in May 1940, the Iron Cross 1st class in June 1940 and the Infantry Assault Badge
Infantry Assault Badge
The Infantry Assault Badge was a German war badge awarded to Waffen SS and Wehrmacht Heer soldiers during WWII. This decoration was instituted on December 20th 1939 by the Oberstbefehlshaber des Heeres, Generalfeldmarschall von Brauchitsch...
in November 1940, which was awarded for having taken part in three or more motorized infantry assaults.
In February 1941 he was moved to command the I. Battalion, 6th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Theodor Eicke and promoted to Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer was a paramilitary Nazi Party rank used by both the SA and the SS. It was created in May 1933 to fill the need for an additional field grade officer rank above Sturmbannführer as the SA expanded. It became an SS rank at the same time...
(Lieutenant Colonel), he remained in command until January 1942.
Petersens next assignment was to command the Reserve Battalion of the Volunteer Norwegian Legion.
In March 1942, he was given command of the 3rd SS Totenkopf Infantry Regiment, 3rd SS Division Totenkopf, he remained in command until October 1942, when he was transferred to command the Training and Reserve Battalion, SS Gebirgsjäger Nord, 6th SS Gebirgs Division Nord.
In April 1943 Petersen was transferred again this time to the 7th SS Gebirgs Division Prinz Eugen to command the 13th SS Gebirgsjäger Regiment. It was while in command of the 13th SS Gebirgsjager Regiment that Petersen was awarded the Knight's Cross on the 13 November 1943 just after being promoted to Standartenführer
Standartenführer
Standartenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in the so-called Nazi combat-organisations: SA, SS, NSKK and the NSFK...
(Colonel) on the 9 November.
Petersen was next posted to work on the staff of the V SS Mountain Corps
V SS Mountain Corps
V SS Mountain Corps was a Waffen SS, formation at the end of World War II.The Corps fought on the Oder line as part of the 9th Army, in the Frankfurt am Oder area and in the Battle of Berlin that followed...
from late 1943 to February 1944, when he was placed on the reserve officers list until June 1944.
He returned to active service on the 15 June 1944 as the new commander of the 39th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel.
He took over command of the 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel in March 1945.
Petersen committed suicide on the 9 May 1945, somewhere between Tábor
Tábor
Tábor is a city of the Czech Republic, in the South Bohemian Region. It is named after Mount Tabor, which is believed by many to be the place of the Transfiguration of Christ; however, the name became popular and nowadays translates to "camp" or "encampment" in the Czech language.The town was...
and Pilsen in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
.
Commands
- II.Battalion, 6th SS Panzer Grenadier Rgt Theodor Eicke
- I.Battalion, 6th SS Panzer Grenadier Rgt Theodor Eicke
- Reserve Battalion Volunteer Norwegian Legion
- Training and Reserve Battalion, 6th SS Gebirgsjäger
- 6th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Theodor Eicke
- 13th SS Volunteer Gebirgsjäger Regiment Arthur Phleps
- 39th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Regiment
- 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel